Back in America: Gone To Texas

(I wrote this update over a week ago, and I've been putting off posting it because each day has brought so many new developments! Today I'm finally posting it, with some revisions to bring it up to date.)

On Tuesday, September 1, our massive road trip came to an end when we finally rolled into Dallas, Texas—our home for at least the next few years. For a while we all felt like we were still moving, and though we had looked forward to settling down in one place and having a home again, the actual details of relocating and creating a normal life in a new place can feel overwhelming at times. We are thankful for the warm welcome the World Arts team gave us, which made the transition much easier than it might have been. A welcoming poster on the front door, gifts of groceries, a pool pass, and even a celebratory cheesecake—what more could we wish for? 
 

What I had most looked forward to was beginning work at my new job. I'm now Assistant Professor of World Arts at the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (GIAL). I've taught here before on previous furloughs from Papua New Guinea, so I already knew my colleagues and was excited to be in the office with them full-time. Two days after we arrived in Dallas, I was in the classroom co-teaching, and the following week I started teaching on my own—a wonderful graduate seminar called Research Methods in World Arts. That's exactly the kind of quick transition I'd hoped for—no lingering days waiting to begin working.

Colleagues at the Center for Excellence in World Arts, GIAL

My other responsibilities include advising one master's student as she writes her thesis, and beginning to work out the design of a Ph.D. program in World Arts, to be offered at GIAL. That'll be enough to keep me busy for the rest of this semester!

Over the past year, our biggest prayer requests for the transition to life in Dallas were for a home, a church, friends, and school for the kids. Amazingly, all of these requests have been answered in only the three weeks that we've been living here already! Here are the answers:

• House: We've been living in a rental duplex since arriving in Dallas, but our hope was to purchase a home of our own in the area. After viewing a lot of homes, we have put in an offer on the one we liked best, and we're hopeful that (pending the home inspection today) we will be able to close on this house in the next month. Thank you for your prayers as we move through this process—the first time we've ever bought a house in the US! (We'll write more, and post pictures, once the deal is officially set.)
• Church: When we were in Dallas during our furlough in 2011, we enjoyed attending a church in the area, and when we returned to visit this month, we felt so welcomed by the congregation and spiritually refreshed by the service, that we decided to make it our church home for good. The next weekend, the boys and I went to a men's breakfast, and Joyce attended a women's breakfast, and we already feel like part of the church family. We're thankful to have found a church home without having to spend weeks trying different churches.
• Friends: We left a lot of good friends in PNG, and we were hopeful (especially for the kids) that new friends would be waiting for us in Dallas. That is proving to be true. For me, I so enjoy the colleagues I get to work with, and the days spent in the office are a pleasure. Joyce has been invited to a Monday night women's Bible study, and is finding friends there, among my colleagues at GIAL, and at church. When we arrived in Dallas, we learned about an MK (missionary kid) youth group that meets on the same campus as GIAL. That weekend was the kick-off retreat, and we were in time to register James for it. He loved it, and really enjoys the youth group (about 30 kids), which meets on Monday nights. Because it's a group specifically aimed at MKs, they get to work through topics relevant to the unique life experiences and struggles of third-culture kids. It was such an answer to prayer to have a youth group like this for James to plug into.
• School: We didn't know what school situation we would eventually put the kids into, so we assumed we'd be homeschooling for at least the first semester. When we got to Dallas, people suggested we look into the many public charter schools in the area. We found one that we liked—UME Preparatory Academy—and put the kids on the waiting list for acceptance. Charter schools select students from a lottery system in the spring, but if there are spaces during the year, kids on the waiting list might be admitted. Within a week, we found out that there was space for James in 9^th grade right away—and then a week later we found out that there is also space in 6^th grade for Cameron and 2^nd grade for William! So this week all three boys got to start school, and they are loving it. The school is located just a few minutes away from my office at GIAL. The school, my office, our church, and the home we are buying are all just a short drive from each other, which is an incredible blessing.

We are amazed at how God has arranged all the pieces of our new life, and that so many details have come together in less than a month of living in Dallas. I know your prayers for us have assisted in this transition: thank you! We truly feel the words of Proverbs 16:9:

The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

We had all kinds of plans and expectations for this transition, but we see now that God knew what he was going to do, and he has been giving us wonderful gifts as we move through the transition. Thank you for continuing to pray for us as we are still establishing a daily routine for life here.